Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Meet the New Silk Road CEOs of the Year 2018

The CEOs of Port of Singapore, Mercuria, Horizon Terminals & Saudi Aramco downstream were Honored as New Silk Road CEOs of the Year 2018 for Linking Global Energy Markets.

Fujairah, Sept. 17th, 2018 (Gulf Intelligence) – Andrew Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore, the world’s biggest bunkering location, and Marco Dunand, CEO of Mercuria Energy Group, one of the world's biggest independent energy traders, were honored this evening as winners of the New Silk Road CEO of the Year Awards 2018 in the categories of Ports and Trading respectively.

This prestigious industry award is now in its second year and hosted under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al-Sharqi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, and presented by H.H. Sheikh Saleh Bin Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Department of Industry and Economy, Fujairah and Chairman of the Board of Port of Fujairah. Mr. Abdulaziz M. Al-Judaimi, Senior Vice-President of Downstream, Saudi Aramco, was recognized as the New Silk Road CEO of the Year for Refining, and Mr. Yusr Sultan Al Junaidy, Managing Director Horizons Terminals ENOC GROUP, was acknowledged for his visionary leadership in the category of Storage.

“It is a great pleasure to be here,” said Abdulaziz Al-Judaimi, Senior Vice-President of Downstream, Saudi Aramco. “The New Silk Road CEO of the Year Awards are truly a unique honor, and I applaud the founders’ vision and their efforts in promoting interconnectivity across Asia to the Middle East. Our region is strategically located connecting East and West. Trade flows have been known from old times.”

The rise of the Arab world, China and India are part of the same story, once historic trading partners via the old Silk Road. It isn't a coincidence that Arab traders have returned to Asia at the same time that China is leading an Asian wave of nations that are fast regaining their share of the global economy. Much of this economic reintegration from the Arabian Peninsula to the massive populations of Asia is built on a foundation of physical energy: Trading – Refining – Storage – Ports & Shipping.

“One of the biggest economic stories in the world, and certainly the most transformational is the $1 trillion being invested to rebuild the ancient trading routes stretching from China to the Middle East,” said Sean Evers, Managing Partner of Gulf Intelligence and Chairman of the CEO of the Year Awards. “The New Silk Road Award celebrates the pioneering industry leaders who are delivering the critical energy flow that underpins this economic tsunami,” he said.

The7-member International Selection Committee for the New Silk Road CEO of the Year Awards 2018, was comprised of industry leaders in their field with vast experience operating across Asia, including Mr. Victor Gao, Chairman of the China Energy Institute, Mr. Eelco Hoekstra, CEO of Royal Vopak, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Buanain, CEO of Saudi Aramco Trading Company, Mr. Chris Bake, a member of Vitol’s Executive Committee, Mr. Martin Fraenkel, President of S&P Global Platts, Abd. Malik Jaffar of PETRONAS Middle East and Capt. Mousa Morad, Managing Director of the Port of Fujairah.

The New Silk Road CEO of the Year Awards, produced by Gulf Intelligence on behalf of the Government of Fujairah, recognized the distinguished industry leaders at a Gala Dinner in Fujairah on Sept. 17th, 2018, on the eve of the 8th Energy Markets Forum. The awards were presented by H.H. Sheikh Saleh Bin Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Department of Industry and Economy, Fujairah.

In recent years, the Gulf has seen the growth of an array of the key features required to sustain a world-class oil trading hub, most notably Fujairah – it has become a major logistics hub, with pipelines, vast storage, and several deep-water ports. It is supported by growing financial centers, and now most banks, oil companies, multinationals, national oil companies, and trading houses are represented there. The region is also amid a refining construction boom, with plenty more to come.